Stroud Arts Festival has a remit to develop and promote the arts in Stroud and surrounding areas. In support of the annual Festival of the Arts, the organisation awards grants to related projects, particularly focusing on dance, music, spoken word performance, artistic works and exhibition. Grants are supported by funding from the Margaret and Netlam Bigg Trust.  

General Process and Criteria

Grant applications are welcomed twice a year. Applications open in January and June and decisions are taken at grant award meetings following each application deadline. See https://stroudartsfestival.org/about-us/  for specific schedules and meeting dates.

Grant applications will be considered on their merits in terms of what they bring to people living in and around Stroud.

Criteria include:

Grants are aimed at projects or events which lead to public performances or showings, aimed to be scheduled in or around annual Stroud Arts Festival dates.

Aligning with the work of Netlam Bigg, grants will particularly be considered if targeting or involving young people, people with disabilities or other special needs.

Grants will generally be paid to voluntary groups/organisations but statutory bodies, such as schools, may also apply, for example for enrichment activities.

Whilst a specific amount of funding is available for grants each year, no limits are imposed on the amount that can be applied for, however Grants are normally up to a maximum of £1000 but may be increased for exceptional proposals . Guideline figures are available on request.

Grants will be paid in two stages – 80% on approval and the balance when all grant conditions are satisfied, up to 1 month after the event.

Note that applicants may be asked for additional information in advance of a decision and can also request guidance before or during submission.

Terms and Conditions

1. Failure to adhere to these conditions or significant changes to the approved project will result in the grant being suspended, and funds being required to be returned.
2. Applications will only be considered from groups/organisations based in Stroud district.
3. Applications must be submitted on a Stroud Arts Festival Grant Application Form.
4. Grant applications can be submitted for the same project for a maximum of 3 consecutive years, for example where an ongoing project needs seed funding.
5. Stroud Arts Festival is politically agnostic. Grant applications cannot be accepted if they are considered to present an overtly political message.
6. Grants will not normally be given to large scale projects where funding is also being sought from other sources.
7. Successful applicants must advertise the project/event as being sponsored by Stroud Arts Festival in their publicity, programmes and tickets, including the official logo.
8. Where appropriate for timing, events will also be advertised in the Stroud Arts Festival programme and other publicity.
9. Where the event allows, two complementary tickets/invitations and a programme must be sent to the Stroud Arts Festival Committee, at least two weeks in advance.
10. Where the event allows, physical space should be allocated for a display banner (this will be supplied) promoting Stroud Arts Festival at the activity/event.
11. Organisers must fully disclose the resulting costs/benefits of the project or event to the Stroud Arts Festival committee.
12. Organisers also agree to detail (by way of a Grant Monitoring Form) the numbers of people involved in the project and the number of attendees in the resulting event, within a month of the event taking place.
13. The decision of the Stroud Arts Festival committee is final on all matters.